Currently, in the construction trade, much labor is expended in “hard wiring” electrical fixtures onto electrical “boxes” normally referred to as “junction boxes”, “j-boxes”, “mounting plates”, or other devices designed to provide electrical wiring from the appropriate circuit connected to the structure's electrical panel. With wiring so connected available at the point where an electrical device or fixture is to be located, as part of the installation, it is customary to provide a support for whatever device or fixture is to be so mounted.
In simple cases, a simple electrical outlet may be provided such that an electrical fixture fitted with a cord terminating with a plug may be affixed nearby and simply plugged into the outlet.
In most applications however, it is customary to hardwire the desired fixture to the circuitry, using the box itself or a mounting plate to secure the fixture to a ceiling for example, the box and mount assembly, having provisions for affixing the fixture thereto. In cases where fixtures have more weight, the box and mount assembly must have sufficient holding capacity in order that the fixture may be safely “hung.”
In cases where fixtures have dynamic operating characteristics such as a ceiling fan, the junction box and mounting plate must be firmly affixed to the ceiling structure, such as firmly to a joist or rafter sufficient to withstand the inertial and centrifugal forces of the fan in operation. Furthermore, the operation of the fan over a period of years requires a mounting assembly of adequate design to withstand the dynamic forces for a period of years.
The hand wiring of such facilities requires a certain amount of skilled labor. Electricians are among the most highly trained of all craft labor. Working with electrical systems requires extensive training as the systems are dangerous to those working on or with them when energized, and equally important, the installation of such systems and their parts require specific knowledge to prevent shock, fire and even explosion when systems become energized or “live.”
Because of the nature of electrical systems, the costs of hard wiring such fixtures is expensive. In the ordinary course of preparing a j-box, the box is nailed to a stud or joist and the wiring which has been located nearby is pulled into the box, the wires themselves, bundled and without prepared terminations.
If a fixture requiring a mounting plate is to be installed, the wires may be pulled through a hole in the mounting plate, and the mounting plate then fastened to the j-box. In order to mount the fixture, the fixtures electrical wires must be connected to the wires emanating from the j-box in correct fashion, usually employing twist on electrical caps to make the connection between each appropriate wire, be it positive, negative, neutral or common and ground.
This procedure takes time comprising several minutes to larger fractions of an hour depending on the ease of handling the fixture, whether a ladder is required, how many wires are involved and the general ease of which the fixture can be held during wiring, etc. Once the electrical connection is complete, the fixture must be finish mounted with any housing or other fascia to be included then assembled or fastened in place to complete the installation.
What is needed in general in the construction industry is a means of reducing the time involved in hard wiring and installing electrical fixtures.
Another relevant consideration is the amount of time it actually takes to replace a fixture when it has experienced some sort of failure, has become obsolete, or is to be discarded by virtue of an owner wishing to replace said fixture in the process of re-decorating or employing new lighting technologies.
As it stands for the most part, the reverse of the mounting procedure previously described is necessary.
Because of the amount of labor required to remove and replace lighting fixtures, owners are less inclined to do so and re-decorating is in some cases restricted when it comes to lighting fixtures as the cost of replacement is considered high when taking into account the labor associated with replacement.
What is needed is an improvement in fixture mounting technology decreasing the cost of changing lighting and other electrical fixtures allowing greater ease of changing fixtures without the traditional high cost of doing so.
While “quick disconnects” exist in the arena of hydraulics, in the electrical field, such quick disconnects are more prevalent in terminating small wire leads in controls, communications and switches, not for traditional electrical fixtures, save the insert and twist features of track lighting. To a lesser extent in the electrical field some extension cord similarities exist, but not to the extent needed in installing lighting fixtures.